Chapter 235: Stepping Onto the Ninety-Eighth Floor
Chapter 235: Stepping Onto the Ninety-Eighth Floor
Rhain dropped to one knee, his chest heaving slightly.
Blood dripped from his torn dark robes, pooling beneath his knees.
This was the very first time he had truly fought a Half-Step Domain Master Realm expert.
He finally realized exactly why Domain Masters were revered as untouchable gods.
If he had not caught the Founder off guard with his Eyes of Truth, and perfectly timed the essence-devouring properties of the Void Fist’s Second Form, he would have definitely not won this battle.
The sheer power of a Half-Step Domain Master’s essence and their control over the Laws of the world was simply overwhelming.
Covered in deep, bone-revealing wounds and completely exhausted from overexerting his essence and his physique to their limits, Rhain collapsed backward onto the floor.
He immediately crossed his legs and fell into a deep meditation.
The dark void within his dantian spun fiercely.
He let the Abyssal Sovereign Physique rapidly heal his severe injuries, closing the bloody gashes at a visible speed, while simultaneously restoring his depleted essence reserves.
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Outside the Heavenly Ascendent Tower.
[Floor 96]
The golden text had not shifted for more than an entire hour.
Every single pair of eyes was glued to the colossal, ancient stone monolith erected beside the towering spire.
They had finally understood that Rhain had reached a level where he was facing opponents that were genuinely challenging him.
But what exactly was he facing?
No one knew. No one had ever reached even close to that high.
"He has been on the ninety-sixth floor for over an hour," Octavius muttered, his voice tense. "The pressure he must be enduring is unimaginable."
Hearing Octavius’s words, Seris’s heart clenched with fear. Her pale purple eyes were fixed unblinkingly on the glowing monolith.
Myrielle gently placed a hand on Seris’s trembling shoulder. "He will be okay, Seris," Myrielle spoke in a soft, comforting tone, trying to calm her disciple’s heart. "You must believe in him."
Seris bit her pink lip and firmly nodded her head. "I know... my husband will definitely conquer it."
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Inside the tower, Rhain finally opened his dark grey eyes.
His profound injuries had completely closed, leaving impeccable, unmarred skin behind, and his essence reservoirs were brimming with power once more.
Fully recuperated, he stood up, adjusted his torn dark robes, and walked up the glowing staircase that had materialized.
[Floor 97]
Before Rhain, the spiritual light coalesced, forming the Founder’s second manifestation.
However, this figure was fundamentally different—it was entirely translucent, constructed entirely of pure soul energy.
The Founder looked at Rhain, an expression of profound astonishment clearly printed on his face.
The translucent Founder smiled warmly, looking at Rhain with deep admiration.
"To defeat my first spiritual self... you are truly astonishing," the Founder praised, his voice echoing directly within Rhain’s mind. "That last strike... what technique was that? It completely bypassed the laws of darkness and devoured my essence from within."
Rhain’s expression remained placid. "It is just a small trick I picked up along the way."
The Founder burst into a hearty laugh, not minding the vague answer in the slightest.
He knew everyone had secrets.
"A small trick? Hahaha! You are quite the interesting youth," the Founder said, his translucent eyes sharpening. He calmly explained, "However, physical force and profound essence are entirely useless here. This floor tests your soul power. Only a clash of pure Soul Power will determine the victor. The methods you used before will not work anymore."
As his voice dropped off, the Founder unleashed an overwhelming wave of Soul Power.
A Half-Step Domain Master’s soul attack!
It swept toward Rhain, designed to instantly crush his consciousness, and break his will.
But Rhain did not show the slightest bit of fear.
If there was one single area where Rhain had a clear advantage against a Half-Step Domain Master, it could only be his Soul Power!
Having consumed the Mystic-Grade Spirit-Ascension Star Lily, his spiritual sea had expanded to a staggering one thousand mile.
And now with his cultivation risen to the sixth level of Spirit Manifestation Realm, it had nearly doubled.
"Since we are comparing Soul Power, then let’s see whose is stronger!"
Rhain fearlessly expanded his vast, ocean-like spiritual sea to its limit.
At the same time, he unleashed a supreme Mystic-Grade Soul Attack he had acquired from the fifth floor of the Grand Library, clashing directly against the Founder’s mind.
BANG!
The two invisible oceans of soul power collided, fiercely devouring each other to attack the opponent’s mind.
With no fear of being attacked physically, Rhain focused entirely on going on the offensive.
He released his vast soul power, directly infusing it with the primordial terror of the Abyssal Sovereign Physique.
"Overlord’s Tyranny!"
A wave of ancient, soul-crushing dread attacked the Founder’s translucent form.
"It’s the same strange power, but it’s many times stronger than before."
A flicker of shock appeared in the Founder’s spiritual eyes.
What was this power that caused even his soul form to instinctively tremble with fear?
"Phantom Reaver Quintet!"
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Five pitch-black daggers materialized in the air.
Because they were specialized soul weapons forged to target and tear apart spiritual entities, they were exceptionally lethal in this pure mental domain.
Controlled by his vast 2000-mile spiritual sea, the five daggers mercilessly pierced and slashed through the Founder’s translucent soul form, repeatedly attacking the spiritual fragment.
’Such an enormous spiritual sea... How could it belong to someone merely at the Spirit Manifestation Realm?" the Founder’s voice echoed weakly as the daggers relentlessly shredded his spiritual foundation.
Unable to withstand the combined onslaught of the Mystic-Grade Soul Attack, Overlord’s Tyranny, and the Phantom Reaver Quintet, the Founder’s second manifestation finally shattered into millions of specks of starlight.
The glowing staircase materialized.
Rhain let out a heavy sigh, sitting down once more to recuperate his overtaxed mental energies before moving forward.
After recuperating for some time, Rhain stood up and calmly ascended to the next level.
[Floor 98]
The moment Rhain stepped onto the ninety-eighth floor, an invisible power suddenly descended upon his body.
Rhain’s pupils contracted slightly.
He instantly felt his meridians lock completely.
The circulation of his essence was entirely blocked, rendering him unable to summon even a single drop.
Across the massive, dark stone arena, the Founder’s third and final manifestation materialized.
This time, it was a towering, heavily muscled figure that stood nearly eight feet tall.
It was a lifelike puppet that exuded an aura of violence, and ferocity yet still possessed the Founder’s sharp consciousness.
"This floor is a test of raw, physical combat," the puppet of muscular Founder announced, "Without the aid of any essence or martial arts. Only the strength of your flesh, and your martial instincts will carry you forward."
Rhain took a deep breath.
His essence was sealed, but his Abyssal Sovereign Physique—the most tyrannical physique in existence was entirely unbound.
With a flash of spatial light, a pair of peak Epic-Grade Caestus materialized in Rhain’s hands.
They were fierce, heavy gauntlets forged from dark crimson metal.
It was a special fiery Caestus whose strength could multiply exponentially when used alongside fire.
Rhain slowly slipped the heavy gauntlets onto his fists.
Although his profound essence was locked, the Red Tribulations Heavenly Flame was a primal force fused directly into his bloodline and physique.
"It did not require conventional essence to burn!
"Fwoosh!"
A majestic, blood-red fire erupted from Rhain’s body, entirely wrapping his whole frame in a blazing inferno.
The dark crimson Caestus on his fists greedily absorbed the Heavenly Flame, glowing with the blood-red heat.
Like an ancient God of War clothed in fire, Rhain tightened his grip on the peak Epic-Grade Caestus.
His dark grey eyes locked onto the towering Founder, and his lips curled into a fierce smile.
"Let’s begin."